Youth as a Force for Development

United Nations ESCAP
HRD Section

Youth as a Force for Development

The World Programme of Action for Youth Reviewed

he World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, recently adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, provides a policy framework and practical guidelines for action to improve the situation of young people in a rapidly changing world. Its background and priorities are discussed below.

1995 marked the tenth anniversary of the International Youth Year: Participation, Development and Peace. In commemoration of that anniversary, governments throughout the world as well as the United Nations undertook special activities for youth. One major accomplishment was the preparation and adoption by the General Assembly of the World Programme of Action for Youth Towards the Year 2000 and Beyond. The ten priority areas of the World Programme are shown below.

The 10 Priority Areas of the World Programme of Action for Youth
Education for All	Fighting Drug Abuse
Creating Youth Employment	Addressing Juvenile Delinquency
Reaching Poor Youth	Leisure for Young People's Development
Providing Basic Health Care	Eliminating Discrimination against Girls and Young Women
Protecting the Environment	Participation of Youth in Decision-Making

The World Programme of Action includes a chapter on regional action. It urges the regional commissions of the United Nations, including ESCAP, to promote the Programme's implementation. ESCAP responded to that call by organizing a regional meeting on youth as an aspect of human resources development, which was held at Beijing in October last year. The agenda of this meeting included consideration of the regional implementation of the World Programme of Action and the formulation of guidelines for action to promote HRD for youth in the region.

The Programme specifically identifies data collection, information and research dissemination, interorganizational coordination and technical cooperation, seminars, and advisory services as measures which could be provided on request to promote, implement and evaluate youth programmes at the regional level. ESCAP has for some years fulfilled this role through its activities aimed at youth.

Click here for the full text of the World Programme of Action.